Plans for a mini-golf tourist attraction on part of a Pembrokeshire seaside village family venue are expected to be approved by the national park later this month.
In an application recommended for approval at the January 28 meeting of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s development management committee, Lowri Silver of Kilgetty, seeks permission for a change of use of the ground floor area of Saundersfoot Harbour’s Coastal Schooner to an indoor mini golf tourist attraction.
The schooner – a prominent feature on the village’s National Events Deck – was built to showcase Saundersfoot’s maritime heritage and is part of the £10m Wales Coastal Centre project.
The building is a replica of a traditional coastal schooner vessel which operated from the harbour during the coal mining era to transport coal from Saundersfoot.
The interpretation centre closed in October 2024.
Last July, an application by Jonathan Thomas of ‘Schooner’ for a pirate-themed bar at the site was refused at the national park development management committee.
That rum bar scheme had raised concerns from the community council, saying it was “considered to be at odds with the current family venue and heritage elements”.
An officer report recommending refusal said that scheme was considered to fall outside the seaside village’s defined retail area and the impact on the amenity of the area and especially nearby residential dwellings.
At that meeting, Cllr Alec Cormack, one of the local county councillors, and member of the community council, called for a more family-friendly scheme for the site.
A supporting statement accompanying the new application says: “The maritime theme will be maintained as the attraction will maintain many of the existing interpretation information and the maritime theme. The Schooner operated as an interpretation centre and high ropes offer for a year from October 2023 to October 2024.
“It has been open through the summer of 2025 on Tuesday and weekends. However, it has proved not to be a viable option to run the Schooner as an interpretation centre alone and an additional use is sought to maintain the interpretation element of the Schooner and to offer an all-weather attraction for local people and residents alike.”
It added: “The proposal will allow for the Schooner to be maintained and be open to the public thus protecting and enhancing the community facilities to meet the needs of local people and visitors alike. The proposal would also sustain the future of the interpretation element of the Schooner which in turn will protect and enhance the harbour, which is one of the key attractions in Pembrokeshire.”
The latest proposal is “strongly supported by Saundersfoot Community Council, particularly regarding the provision of an indoor family attraction; this was a unanimous decision,” a report for committee members recommending approval says.
It adds: “The proposed works will apart from planters, be fully contained within the existing structure and provide an indoor facility for residents and visitors, which is considered to enhance the visitor economy of the area, not just through the tourist season but also outside of the peak season, with the facility being an indoor facility with scope for all year-round operation.”
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